Kosmos 163

Kosmos 163
Mission type Micrometeroid research
COSPAR ID 1967-056A
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type DS-U2-MP
Manufacturer Yuzhnoye
Launch mass 280 kilograms (620 lb)[1]
Start of mission
Launch date 5 June 1967, 05:03:00 (1967-06-05UTC05:03Z) UTC
Rocket Kosmos-2I 63SM
Launch site Kapustin Yar 86/1
End of mission
Decay date 11 October 1967 (1967-10-12)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Perigee 251 kilometres (156 mi)
Apogee 549 kilometres (341 mi)
Inclination 48.4 degrees
Period 92.56 minutes

Kosmos 163 (Russian: Космос 163 meaning Cosmos 163), also known as DS-U2-MP No.2, was a Soviet satellite which was launched in 1967 as part of the Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik programme. It was a 280-kilogram (620 lb) spacecraft,[1] which was built by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, and was used to investigate micrometeoroids and particles of dust in space.[2]

A Kosmos-2I 63SM carrier rocket was used to launch Kosmos 163 into low Earth orbit. The launch took place from Site 86/1 at Kapustin Yar.[3] The launch occurred at 05:03:00 UTC on 5 June 1967, and resulted in the successful insertion of the satellite into orbit.[4] Upon reaching orbit, the satellite was assigned its Kosmos designation, and received the International Designator 1967-056A.[5] The North American Aerospace Defense Command assigned it the catalogue number 02832.

Kosmos 163 was the second of two DS-U2-MP satellites to be launched, after Kosmos 135.[2][6] It was operated in an orbit with a perigee of 251 kilometres (156 mi), an apogee of 549 kilometres (341 mi), 48.4 degrees of inclination, and an orbital period of 92.56 minutes.[7] It decayed from its orbit and reentered the atmosphere on 11 October 1967.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "World Civil Satellites 1957-2006". Space Security Index. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  2. 1 2 Wade, Mark. "DS-U2-MP". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  3. McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  4. Wade, Mark. "Kosmos 2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  5. "Cosmos 163". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  6. Krebs, Gunter. "DS-U2-MP". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  7. 1 2 McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-12-23.


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